Daylight in prison
Dr John Scott
Date posted: 1 May 2010
Stephen found himself in prison after becoming addicted to and dealing in heroin.
He faced a long sentence inside and felt as if life had lost all hope. Then a prison visitor introduced him to Jesus Christ. Stephen looked at the gospel for himself, realised his need of a Saviour and became a Christian in prison. He saw his life transformed by the Lord Jesus as he began to live for him. Stephen served the remainder of his sentence, overcame his addiction and after release decided he wanted to share the good news of his Saviour with other offenders.
David Watson: a legacy
Tom Marshall
Date posted: 1 May 2010
Last year marked the 25th anniversary of the death of David Watson, one-time vicar of St. Michael le Belfrey, York, pioneer behind the Renewal movement within Anglicanism during the 1960s-80s, and much-loved international evangelist.
In Matthew 22, the Lord Jesus rounds on the Sadducees, telling them: ‘You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God’. In these words, Jesus encapsulates the basic, two-fold requirement of Christian discipleship: to know and love the Word of God; and to live in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. It could be argued that evangelical leaders through the years have usually stood on one or the other side: they are either remembered for their ability to expound the Scriptures eloquently, or for their advocacy of a Spirit-filled, Spirit-empowered Christian life. David Watson is remembered for both. As such, his memory and work should be treasured by so-called ‘conservative’ and ‘charismatic’ evangelicals alike.
India: breaking the dependency cycle
Paul Barnes
Date posted: 1 Feb 2010
The Letters page of the January issue of Evangelicals Now (p.23) included a call for help from a pastor in India.
Over the years in my work of running India Link Ministries (a UK registered charity), I have received dozens of letters pleading for help.
Third Degree
Charlotte Petra
Date posted: 1 Mar 2010
Christian Unions are made up of students, led by students and exist to reach students. Who is in a better position to reach students with the gospel of Jesus than those they live with, go to lectures with, spend time with and share lives with. Students are best placed to reach students and that is why Christian Unions exist and why they are led by students.
Student leadership is not only beneficial for the mission of CUs, but it can have a lasting effect on the student leaders themselves. CU leadership is more than standing at the front during the weekly main meeting; it involves service, servant-heartedness, time, planning, organisation, co-ordinating and working with others, sharing responsibility, knowing the goal and being passionate about working for it.
Scandalous
Apparently Jesus had been flogged earlier, as part of his interrogation. Immediately after sentence of crucifixion was passed, Jesus was flogged again (v.26).
This was standard procedure; it was customary to flog prisoners before taking them out to be crucified. But what takes place in verses 27 to 31 is not standard procedure. It is more like barracks-room humour.
Memorabilia
Joy Horn
Date posted: 1 Jan 2010
Famous books
John Knox’s book, God’s Eternal Predestination, was published in Geneva in 1560.
The Geneva Bible was published late in 1560 by a group of English people who had been exiles there during the persecution of Queen Mary I and led by William Whittingham. A handsome quarto volume, convenient for personal and family use, it had illustrations and marginal explanatory notes. It became the most widely used Bible of the English Protestants.
Beards and burqas?
Amanda Pilz
Date posted: 1 Feb 2010
Martin Goldsmith was born in 1934 in England to a German Jewish family.
He attended public school and, through a miraculous answer to prayer, became a Christian at age 15. He qualified as a Russian interpreter in the Navy then studied Modern Languages and Russian Political Thought at Oxford. There he felt called to mission and, after training in theology in Bristol, worked as a missionary with OMF in SE Asia for ten years. He lectured at All Nations Christian College for 24 years and now engages in a full-time international speaking ministry. He has authored many books, the latest being Beyond Beards and Burqas (IVP, £7.99), in which he introduces the reader to a wide variety of Muslims, relaying conversations about Islam and Christianity he has had with them during his many years of Christian service.
A hole in the fuel tank?
Marcus Honeysett
Date posted: 1 Feb 2010
Several months ago I was on a train which came to an abrupt and terminal stop. We waited for half an hour before the announcement: ‘Ladies and gentlemen please disembark as there is a large hole in the fuel tank’.
This became obvious from the overpowering smell of diesel that hit us as soon as we were outside. I liked being on the train. It was comfortable and they served refreshments. But it wasn’t going anywhere and from inside it was impossible to see why.
Jesus: where East meets West
Tim McMahon
Date posted: 1 Feb 2010
God loves to use the weak and despised of this world to show his power and glory.
He particularly loves to have the glorious treasure of his gospel shine out of broken clay pots. There is a region of the world where God has been doing this in the most remarkable way over the last ten years.
Sheena Gillies, 1948-2009
A thanksgiving service was held on November 2 to celebrate the life of Sheena Gillies, who died suddenly on October 16.
Sheena’s interest in mission began in her early family and church life and led her to study at All Nation’s Christian College and then to UCCF in Scotland as a full-time staff worker. She went on to serve as a teacher and trainer at Capernwray Bible School in Lancashire, at London Bible College (now London School of Theology) as Director of Training, and at All Souls Church, Langham Place, where she worked as a Senior Associate Minister for 11 years. She also taught at events and conferences.
A new day for FIEC
Richard Underwood
Date posted: 1 Jan 2010
Churches up and down the country are shrinking or closing at an alarming rate and, amid the erosion of our country’s spiritual heritage, Christianity is being systematically driven from the public square.
However, alongside the negatives there are many positives. Churches are being planted, people are being saved and men and women are being trained for gospel ministry. In addition, there seems to be a new spirit of partnership among gospel-minded people. An example of this is the number of churches which have committed themselves to the forthcoming A Passion for Life mission.
Can we manage God?
Stephen Ridgeway
Date posted: 1 Jan 2010
So, what’s your personal vision statement for this coming year? You don’t have one yet? But we’re on the brink of 2010!
OK, what about your ministry aims? Can you outline them to me in the space of three seconds without breaking into a sweat? No?! Alright then, let me loosen the noose a bit: can you present the projected outcomes of your personal discipleship programme (preferably using bullet points) for the next three years? What do you mean, you can’t even see beyond the coming week you PowerPointless wonder? Take me to your seminar leader — on the double!
Small woman with a big faith
Colin Nevin
Date posted: 1 Jan 2010
Gladys Aylward was born on February 24 1902 to a working class family in Edmonton in north London.
Her parents both worked for the Post Office, and she worked as a humble parlourmaid. It was when Gladys attended a church service one evening and heard about mission in foreign lands that she embraced the concept of people working in far-flung destinations for the Kingdom of God. Subsequently she became aware of the vast country of China which had hardly even heard of Christianity. These thoughts challenged the young Gladys who had given her life over to God’s service, but she was still not sure what that might be.
All over the world
Ray Porter
Date posted: 1 Jan 2010
Book Review
GLOBALIZING THEOLOGY
Belief and practice in an era of World Christianity
Read review
Letter from America
Finances, the economy and the church
Josh Moody
Date posted: 1 Feb 2010
Whether or not — and to what extent, and at what speed — the international market economy is recovering is beyond the scope of this paper, and certainly beyond my expertise as a writer.
But from the ground up it still looks like, to say the least, we are in ‘interesting’ financial times, and some list it as ongoing through 2010 at least (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_crisis_of_2007%E2%80%932010). What does this mean for the church?
The Third Degree
Charlotte Petra
Date posted: 1 Feb 2010
It is a rare occurrence that on a cold evening students would decide that what they really want to do is leave the warmth and comfort of their rooms and venture out into the cold to a church of all places, sing songs about Jesus and then listen to someone talk about him.
Strangely enough, this seems to be quite appealing to people around Christmas time, for many people this is the one time of the year that they enter a church.
Claiming the truth in a world of relativism
Mark Chan
Date posted: 1 Feb 2010
The world has always been home to many religious faiths and ideologies.
This religious pluralism has become more pronounced for people in the West, due to globalisation and migration between countries. A shrinking world brings adherents of different religions closer to each other. We meet people of other races and learn of their cultures and beliefs through television and the internet. Mosques, temples and non-Western restaurants reflect the increasingly diverse nature of many Western societies.
Have Bible, will travel
For many years Peter Anderson has been used by God as an evangelist. Here he tells us of his conversion while on national service in the British Army.
On arrival in Singapore I found myself in an office looking after the pay of Gurkha soldiers. Also in the office was a soldier I recognised from basic training in Devizes. I knew that he was a Christian, but as he slept in a different barrack room from me I could ‘escape’ from him out of office hours.
Avatar
John Dray
Date posted: 1 Feb 2010
None Review
Pocahontas in space AVATAR Director: James Cameron Cert. 12A James Cameron’s Avatar is set in the future. A corporation from a dying earth is seeking to exploit the mineral resources of the beautiful planet Pandora, occupied by the indigenous Na’vi people whose major city lies above a huge mineral deposit.
Read review
Fasting at the crossroads
A Passion for Life is a great evangelistic project and there is much excitement in our own congregation as we have seen many outsiders attending events as part of the build up to the main mission during Easter week. I am sure it is the same in other churches nationwide and we thank God for this.
If we long to see A Passion for Life being effective then we need to give ourselves to prayer, perhaps even prayer with fasting.